A little back story is I went to be induced around 39 weeks. I was in labor for three days until I had an emergency c-section due to the baby and I having a fever. I wasn’t dilating like I was supposed to. The medicine to dilate started as soon as I arrived at the hospital. On the 2nd night, I was only 5cm dilated. I stayed like this until the next morning. At 8 cm, they decided to take me in for an emergency c section. I believe they should have taken me in when I wasn’t getting anywhere, but they continued to just up the dosage in my IV to help me dilate. Anyways, after my baby was born, he had a flat spot on his head. It has gotten better. He is in Physical Therapy right now because they are saying he has torticollis (in which the neck muscles contract, causing the head to twist to one side.) And this “caused him to have a flat spot on his head.” I feel like him staying in my birth canal for so long caused this. My MIL believes I should address this to a lawyer because he also has a curve in his back, I’m guessing from being stuck as well. Is this something that happened due to him being in my birth canal for so long? Is it the doctor’s fault? Or do things like this happen? Please no negative comments. Just curious as to what caused this and what I should do about it if it was because Drs waited so long to get him out.
IMO no, the doctor/birthing and being stuck in the birth canal had nothing to do with your sons flat spot, however I don’t have the whole birthing story. The birthing process can and does take hours especially if it’s your first baby. Unfortunately, doctors don’t have a manual that will tell them how every woman will deliver and how quickly. They see how you are clinically doing by the baby monitor, your contractions and your vitals… based on that information (among other things) they will decide whether it’s safe to allow you to continue laboring or to take you in to have a c-section. By all means, if it would make you feel better to talk to a lawyer, the initial consultation is typically free and they will tell you whether you have a case worth pursuing or not. I would take medical records and anything else you have (PT notes) to the initial consult.
No, it’s not the doctors fault, I was in the exact same position (labor for 3 days, not dilating past 3cm, induced, emergency c section) and my son was perfectly fine.
Don’t lay blame where it’s not due, it’s just one of those things and by the sounds of it, the doctors have already explained it to you
Help a mama out and respond anonymously on our forum. Could the doctors have caused my childs flat head? - Mamas Uncut
My oldest had torticolis. It is caused by the way the baby is positioned in the womb. I don’t think it could happen that quickly. It is something that takes time to develop. It isn’t your fault or the doctors. Sometimes those things just happen. My son was in physical therapy from 2 months until he was 2.
It just happens. It happens to children that come quickly or children that take awhile to come. It also can develop a few weeks after birth. It is not a topic I would ever consider consulting with a lawyer to go after your doctor. People can stay in labor for days as long as your water hasn’t broken and the baby isn’t in distress
No the doctors didn’t cause it. I had an induced labor was in labor for 25 hours I got a emergency C-section because my blood pressure and my son’s heart rate kept dropping. I was only a 3 cm. His head was perfectly round now my youngest he was a scheduled C-section. He does have 2 forms of flat head. He also has torticolis. He had it from birth. It’s just something that either they’re born with or develop pretty early on after birth.
My son had the same problem when he was born. Torticollis and a flat spot behind his right ear! I was only in labor for 2 hrs but he was 9lbs 5oz 22 in . I massaged the soft area behind his ear and the back of his neck for a month before it straightened up. He had no lasting effects from it! He is 6’ 2” Be great full that you had a healthy baby to love and hold. Each case is different!
My sister was on labor for 36 hours and my nephews head was shaped a little funny lets just say. It eventually all went back to normal.
There are corrective helmets that you can use to apply gentile pressure to flat areas of the infants head. They look similar to football helmets.
Google it then discuss it with your Pediatrician. Infants heads are sometimes very elongated when labor is long. The head molds itself to the birth canal while slowly passing through. I had an ‘alien’ looking first child, after a 20 hour labor, it all rounded out on its own, which they usually do.
No doctor’s don’t cause this. Our children are cramped in our womb for months that’s alot longer then labour.
They can let baby stay in as long as your water didn’t break. So length with contractions shouldn’t have caused it.
No it’s plagiocephaly and it’s actually really common. Not enough tummy time can cause this as well as other things.
So many babies have flat heads from sleeping in the same spot so I would suggested to keep switching sides while baby sleeps
It’s called Plagiocephaly, it’s very common and no the doctors didn’t cause.
Help a mama out and respond anonymously on our forum. Could the doctors have caused my childs flat head? - Mamas Uncut
Reading all these comments are so scary! I was induced too but luckily I gave birth two hours after the induction 
My grand son had a cone head from being in birth canal ender up with c section his head is fine , I would not be to consernd about just yet enjoy your new blessing
Same thing happened with my daughter, her nose was crooked but no flat head. It would be able to get rounder if you rotate how he lays
I was dilated for days at 4cms in hospital and I was left, don’t think this caused your baby’s problem. Its normally an infection which my child took
I am no expert. But don’t think that caused your baby to have a flat head. I knew someone who was in labor for 3 days and then had the emergency c section and baby didn’t have a flat head. Speak with a professional! You’re talking about your baby’s health. Look for a pediatrician
No not the Doctors fault a lot of babys have flat heads speak to your baby nurse and they will show you how to rectify this.
It does sound like the cause was due to baby being stuck, if your pregnancy was fine and all scans was normal, it’s not going to hurt to speak to a lawyer, make sure you get all labour paperwork asap incase hospital pretends looses them or somthing x
In labor for 2 1/2 days vaginal delivery but needed vacuum assist as he got stuck coming out with his arm up. Had a bit of a cone head for a few days but no flat spot.
My son had the same thing but my labour was only 30 minutes. If your midwife is advising you to then it could do no harm x
I was in labour with my first for 36 hours before I finally got to 10cm (also induced) ended up with a CS as she got stuck. She was born with no flat head or issues. My second was quicker and not a CS and he had and still has (though is better now at 2 years old than it was) a slightly flat head. I think it’s just one of those things unfortunately.
I’m no expert however I’m not sure you could take this to court as you would have consented to a C-section, however talking to a lawyer won’t hurt x
Not a professional…but maybe he was just born that way and it’s no one’s fault?
A curved spine could be numerous things, also most probably born that way and not because they waited too long.
If the baby had been too low on the canal the doctors would have intervened sooner and also you would have felt the need to push and ripped yourself in two (sorry for the visual)
Also, if the baby had been too low in the canal a CS wouldn’t have been possible and they would have had to force vaginal delivery and they would have surgically had to widen you.
((I did a lot of scary googling when I was pregnant…also I split myself almost fully because I couldn’t stop pushing, the body literally doesn’t give a shit how big your hole is if your fully in labour and the baby had dropped low enough and is in the birth canal))
It’s horrible when our babies have medical issues my son included but I think we look for someone to blame. Myself included. Speak to a professional child Dr they will give you the best advice maybe he may have just grown that way an its noones fault. My son is 8 an they have only just found he has a whole in the heart I’ve blamed all the people i can think of but it’s just how he was made… as long as he’s healthy an getting the correct treatment now I’d concentrate on that rather than pursuing a legal case against the nhs
Why ask on Facebook? Get a professional medical opinion.
Mama don’t stress too much over this. It’s normal it’s nothing the doctors did. These things just happen. If he was in to long he’d more than likely would’ve had a hematoma (blood blister) from pushing his head into your canal. My little guy came by C-section and he had a hematoma from sitting in my canal too long because I pushed for two and a half hours. He was happy and healthy and that’s all I cared about.
Ya know what, whatever caused it shouldn’t really be your main priority- how much energy is a lawsuit going to steal from you? What’s it actually worth, extra stress and drama and time away from focussing on your baby’s future to waste on the past that can not be changed?? If you are actually concerned that doctor may make same mistake again yes, go ahead bring awareness so that mistakes aren’t repeated but as a mum who has a serious medical diagnosis with her baby who’s know 3 all I can say is time is fkn precious use it wisely and my comments above come from a good place no offence intended just had couple drinks lol but seriously be grateful for what you have and remember birthing/nature is fkn amazing yet ALWAYS unpredictable xx
So, my first baby. My waters broke, 24hours after that I was induced, I wouldn’t dilate past four, so 12 hours later and I needed a C section due to fetal distress. She was born with kind of a cone on the top of her head where I’m guessing the top of her head got stuck. I can’t imagine what his head was on in there for it to be flat